"HOOOOleymackadeah -- Dere be, I say, dere be a WHOOOOOLE lotta editorializing goin' on heah!"
Posted on 06/22/2003 5:05:05 AM PDT by The Anti-Democrat
Fritz Hollings, it's time to quit playing games.
There are only so many ways you can continue to tell us that you're struggling to determine whether there's a seventh term in your future as a U.S. senator.
Your latest gimmick is real cute -- giving the state Democratic Party the green light to actively search for a viable successor to replace you on the ballot in 2004, and your suggestion that if that effort fails, you might entertain us with another re-election bid.
Why don't you just be up front and tell us what you already know? You don't want to run again. The fire is not there any more.
With your blessing, state party chairman Joe Erwin has begun the task of recruiting a replacement candidate.
Because you were so clear with him -- he says you advised him to be assertive -- Erwin feels compelled to come up with a candidate. He promises to get back with you soon to let you know where he is in the process.
Whatever, the chairman hopes by then to have located a candidate or candidates willing to run and capable of winning.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recently commissioned a poll to help in the candidate search and to measure your chances should you decide to risk another race.
That survey sent out mixed signals.
It shows both you and state Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum leading the likely Republican nominee, U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint of Greenville. You had 43 percent of the vote to 38 percent for DeMint. Tenenbaum did slightly better, winning 45 percent to DeMint's 33 percent.
But don't get too excited. The survey also showed that hardly anyone knows DeMint.
Not surprisingly, Senator, your negative ratings in that poll hovered around 40 percent -- the so-called danger zone. Most candidates lose when their negatives reach that level. But somehow you always manage to survive. You always do better on Election Day than six months out. You've shown that again and again.
Given the weakness of the Republican field, you can win in 2004. Consider the GOP candidates:
- Former Attorney General Charlie Condon -- Some Republicans say he's too right-wing.
- Thomas Ravenel, a 40-year-old commercial real estate developer -- He's loaded, but how often do you see a candidate write a personal check for his own campaign. Not often.
- Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride -- Who?
- DeMint -- A nice guy, but dull. He is rumored to be the choice of the White House, but President Bush's people deny it.
Tenenbaum, the most popular Democrat in the state and the party's biggest vote-getter in 2002, would be somebody you could step aside for, Senator. She would be a credible candidate. She's giving the race serious thought, but is not close to making up her mind.
Senator, at age 81, voters would certainly understand your reluctance to run -- especially in a state that is trending Republican and is even more so in presidential election years.
If it were just you vs. DeMint or Condon or any one of the GOP hopefuls, you'd win hands down. But you're also running against President Bush and, more each year, against the rising GOP tide in the state.
It seems you've already decided to call it quits after 50-plus years of public service.
Your friends are telling you not to run. Your wife, Peatsy, isn't thrilled about another race. They fear you might lose, and they want you to go out on top.
If you run and lose, that's all people will remember -- and you deserve better.
But, of course, it's not all about you, Senator. For the good of your party -- and your state -- make the call now.
"HOOOOleymackadeah -- Dere be, I say, dere be a WHOOOOOLE lotta editorializing goin' on heah!"
If Senator Hollings (D-Disney) does run, he will be in for the fight of his life but will probably win--SC has a long record of protecting incumbents (hell, we re-elected Strom when he was 94 and clearly starting to fade). If, on the other hand, Foghorn decides to retire gracefully, the Republicans are probably going to get the seat.
}:-)4
Accept defeat and get interested in something else (try golf or stamp collecting).
You have nothing to offer.
The opposition party has everything to offer, and it is lead by the greatest American president since Lincoln and the greatest world statesman since Winston Churchill, surrounded by the smartest, most highly ethical, best educated, most capable, and most visionary advisors in history--and there are many more waiting in the wings.
Face it. You Democrats (and all your decadence and self-serving parasitism) are things of the past (and good riddance).
A case in point: a small take on every blank CD and tape sold goes into a fund to further fuel the power of the entertainment lobby and be distributed to those who need it the least. Thus, an independent artist trying to break into this world by making a demo CD actually has to subsidize the sonzabitches who have a vested interest in keeping them out.
You [Stoopid Dims] have nothing to offer.
The opposition party has everything to offer, and it is lead by the greatest American president since Lincoln and the greatest world statesman since Winston Churchill, surrounded by the smartest, most highly ethical, best educated, most capable, and most visionary advisors in history--and there are many more waiting in the wings.
Face it. You [Stoopid Dims] Democrats (and all your decadence and self-serving parasitism) are things of the past (and good riddance).
Geez, Savage. You'd think you would at least live up to you handle, instead of softly padding aroud the bush! Hopefully, my inclusion of Southside Chicago inflected adjective will show you the way for your future posting to avoid any milquetoast definitions.
< /just kidding > < wink, wink >
Anyway, I thought my rant was downright jugular. Maybe I was mistaken (a rare occurrence).
My beloved mentor was from the slums of Gary, and I thought I had left my milquetoastitude behind in the dust a long time ago. I guess when it comes to savaging the stoopid Dumbocrats you gotta charge the hell right through the friggin' bush and let 'em have it! (How's that?)
What I really meant was that I agreed with your post 100 per cent. But after watching Russert mop the floor with Dean, I felt that a little celebration in the form of ribbing your post might be a fun thing to do.
Thanks for posting that whine. It gives me great pleasure to see such public flailing about from the Dems and their sympathizers. The poor bootlicker was clearly *begging* for Fritz to be a Party man, clearly not understanding that the Democratic Party is not about Party (or even ideas) any longer, but about Personality (as in: Cult of).
'Rats/liberal media having a hissy over Senator Foghorn's indecision *ping*...
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